Cup and saucer combination



July 16, 1957 G. s. CRAWFORD, JR

CUP AND SAUCER COMBINATION Filed July 21, 1953 INVENTOR GEORGE S.- CRAWFORD, JR.

United States Patent CUP AND SAUCER COMBINATION George S. Crawford, Jr., Waynesville, hio Application July 21, 1953, Serial No. 369,407

1 Claim. (Cl. 15S-13) The present invention relates to a cup and saucer combination and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a saucer having a centrally disposed upwardly extending annular ridge spaced inwardly from the periphery of the saucer and having immediately inwardly of such ridge an annular groove concentric therewith. There is also provided a cup having a dependent flange at the bottom thereof which ange is receivable in the groove in the saucer. The cup is also provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending annular deliector which is adapted to overlie the ridge portion of the saucer. The device is such that a cup of the character set forth, when once seated in the saucer of the present invention, is held thereby against lateral slippage and also will deflect any drippings from the contents of the cup from the sides of such cup to that portion of the saucer without the ridged portion thus keeping the bottom of the cup dry at all times.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a cup and saucer combination having means for maintaining the bottom of the c-up normally dry.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, means for preventing lateral slippage of a cup with respect to a saucer, both cup and saucer forming parts of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and elficient in use.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a cup generally designated at and provided with a substantially cylindrical open-topped body 11 and an integrally formed bottom 12. A handle 13 of conventional character is aixed to one side of the body 10.

A saucer is generally designated at 14 and is of circular shape and provided with an outwardly and upwardly extending rim 15. Integrally formed upon the upper face of the saucer 14 adjacent the rim 15 is an upwardly extending annular ridge 16 which is concentric with the periphery of the rim 15.

An annular groove 17 is formed in the body of the saucer 14 immediately inwardly of the ridge 16 and the cup 10 is provided with an integrally formed dependent flange 18 which is receivable in the groove 17. The cup 10 has integrally formed therewith adjacent the lower end a downwardly and outwardly extending annular de- "ice flector plate 19 which is adapted to overhang the ridge 16 when the cup 10 is in position upon the saucer 14. It will be apparent that a trough 20 is formed by the rim 15 and ridge 16 in the saucer 14.

In use, it will be apparent that the cup 10 may be positioned in the saucer 14 by placing the same within the connes of the ridge 16, that is to say with the dependent flange 18 in position in the trough 17. When this is done, it will be apparent that the deector plate 19 overhangs the ridge 16 and that the outer peripheral edge of the deflector plate 19 overlies the trough 20. Thus it will be seen that any dripping of the contents of the cup 10 along the outer sides of such cup will be deilected outwardly thereof by means of the deflector plate 19 whence they will drop into the trough 20 thus maintaining the bottom 12 and dependent iiange 18 of the cup 10 in a dry state at all times. .it will also be observed that the placement of the cup 10 within the confines of the ridge 16 will prevent untoward movement of the cup 10 with respect to the saucer 14. Hence, lateral slippage of the cup with respect to the saucer is prevented at all times and, again, at all times, it will be seen that the cup 10 may be lifted from the saucer in conventional manner when drinking the contents thereof without the danger of the cup lifting droplets of the contents which may previously have dropped into the saucer.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or tbe scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

The combination of a cup and saucer of the type described comprising, a projecting annular guide ange formed integrally with the upper side of said saucer and tapering upwardly therefrom, an annular groove formed immediately inwardly of said projecting guide flange, a coacting annular peripheral ange extending downwardly from the bottom of said cup, said guide ange and said groove on said saucer being shaped to receive said peripheral flange on the bottom of said cup in substantially close interitting engagement to prevent lateral slippage between said cup and said saucer, said cup having a downwardly and outwardly extending annular deflector plate formed integrally with the outer wall of said cup adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to overlie said guide ange, said saucer having an outwardly and upwardly extending rim forming a trough with said guide flange, and said dellector plate having its peripheral edge overlying said trough and said guide flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 84,445 Stigale Nov. 24, 1868 862,953 Westlake Aug. 13, 1907 1,389,594 Moore Sept. 6, 1921 1,922,127 Foley Aug. 15, 1933 2,041,563 Meinecke May 19, 1936 2,059,769 Bell Nov. 3, 1936 2,151,023 Gibson Mar. 21, 1939 2,427,487 Alexander Sept. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,022 Great Britain Aug. 22, 1900 359,404 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1931 444,421 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1936 389,646 France July 4, 1908 178,147 Germany Nov. 10, 1906 187,466 Germany June 26, 1907 

